810 - The Champagne Reflection
Aired November 20, 2014

Leonard, Howard and Raj are forced to consider their own contribution to science as they clear out the office of a deceased professor. Meanwhile, Sheldon and Amy record the final episode of "Fun with Flags", and Bernadette is surprised to learn what her co-workers really think of her.

Episode Notes

Sheldon hosts the final edition of "Sheldon Cooper Presents: Fun with Flags" featuring a highlights reel with guests LeVar Burton and Barry Kripke. When somebody leaves a comment on the video, Sheldon revives Fun with Flags.

Episode Quotes

Dan: Well one thing I've been meaning to tell you, is that the company's gonna stop paying for our coffee.Bernadette: No problem. When does that start?Dan: Five months ago.Bernadette: What? Who's been paying for my coffee.Dan: All of us.Penny: Yep, it comes from the swear jar we put money in when you curse.

Leonard: You know what, this bottle was meant to celebrate an achievement. Let's make a pact. When one of us gets their first big breakthrough, we'll celebrate by opening this bottle and toasting Professor Abbott.Howard: I love that.Raj: Me too.Leonard: Then, of course, rubbing our success in Sheldon's face.Howard: Well that's the best part.

Sheldon: I'd like to take a moment to personally thank Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, who you may or may not know is the first woman to co-host a flag or banner related Internet infotainment show.Amy: Take that glass ceiling!

Leonard: Well, that's it. It's the end of Roger Abbott.Raj: And we still don't know who framed him.

Howard: Don't feel bad. Some day someone will be throwing out your work, too.Leonard: That was someone was Sheldon and the day was yesterday.

Episode Pictures (12)

Recap

Sheldon and Amy are filming the final episode of "Fun with Flags". Elsewhere, Leonard, Howard and Raj are clearing out the office of a recently deceased professor at the university. Leonard finds an unopened bottle of champagne that the professor's mother sent him to open after his first big scientific discovery, causing Leonard to reflect on his own scientific legacy. Meanwhile, Penny and Bernadette are at the Zangen company party. While Bernadette parks the car, Penny's boss, Dan, confides in her that he's not pleased Bernadette will be at the party.

Sheldon and Amy continue to record their last webisode with a highlights reel of the best Fun with Flags moments, including their look at Australia's flag, and Barry Kripke's appearance playing a game of "Flag or Not a Flag". Back at the university, Leonard stumbles upon a book of numbers and wonders what they all mean. Raj suggests they contact the professor who shared the office, Professor Sharp. At the Zangen party, Bernadette, Penny and Dan are awkwardly sharing a table when Dan goes to get another drink. Penny tells Bernadette that she can sometimes be rough on people, causing them to have a negative opinion of her. Bernadette dismisses Penny's claims and said her dad always taught her to stand up for herself.

LeVar Burton is again guest starring on Fun with Flags, under the condition that Sheldon will erase his contact information when he's done. Leonard, Howard and Raj arrive at a rundown apartment building to find Professor Sharp and discuss the cryptic notebooks they found. Professor Sharp reveals the numbers are just calories as Professor Abbot thought controlling calorific intake was the key to living forever. The guys are disheartened to learn Professor Sharp also has no meaningful scientific contribution to his name. Back at the party, Bernadette wants to leave now she knows what her co-workers think of her.

Sheldon and Amy finally complete the last episode of Fun with Flags. Back in Professor Abbot's office, the guys clear out the last of his files. Howard points out that not everybody will achieve great things in their life, so they should just be happy with the small moments - not that he has anything to worry about, after all he went to space. Since the bottle of champagne was supposed to celebrate a scientific achievement, the guys agree to drink it when any one of them makes a big discovery. Elsewhere, Penny and Bernadette approach Dan so she can apologize for her behavior. Bernadette promises to be more sensitive in the future. Dan then starts telling her some of the changes at work that they were too scared to tell her before. They stopped paying for employee's coffee - five months ago; and they gave away her private bathroom. Bernadette is horrified that everybody thinks she's a monster, though Dan suggests she's like the cute one-eyed one from Monsters, Inc. When Bernadette starts crying and saying she wants to quit, Dan quickly says they'll still pay for her coffee - or better yet, get her an espresso machine.

When Leonard returns home late to the apartment, Sheldon is watching his laptop as the final episode of Fun with Flags has a total of zero comments. Sheldon feels all his work was for nought. Leonard feels the same way, having just cleared out somebody's entire life's work with no significant achievements. Just as Sheldon realizes that Leonard does understand how he feels, a comment comes through for the last Fun with Flags. Sheldon decides to bring back the series and opens up the fifty-year-old champagne to celebrate, even though he has no intention of drinking it.